Author's Notes: Thank you all so much for the feedback! Oh, and in defense of lawyers, you'll rarely find a lawyer admitting they'll probably lose a motion. Every boss I've ever had would eat me alive if I said that to a client. But since the MCU has superheroes, its lawyers can get away with complete candor.

Previous Chapter Recap: As our heroes watched over Wanda and prepared for Bucky's pretrial to begin, they realized they'd heard nothing from Wakanda in over a week. Vision was jealous of Bucky's relationship with Wanda - only for Bucky to set him straight that their relationship is platonic, not to mention Hydra's modifications to his body left him impotent. But the Court and the prosecution suspect it took more than Wanda to defeat Bucky's conditioning, and wanted answers, which Bucky refused to give even at risk of losing his own case. Reprieve arrived when T'Challa opened Wakanda to the rest of the world - and came to the International Criminal Court to declare himself as the one who'd been harboring the fugitive Avengers.

Chapter Thirty-Six

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS…

Sam would've bet good money that half the reporters and the entire prosecution team promptly shat themselves. He'd never seen so many mouths hanging open outside a really bad courtroom drama. As all hell broke loose and everyone started yelling at once, Clint leaned over to Stark and yelled, "Hate to tell you, bro, but there's someone on the team now who makes bigger entrances than you!"

Steve was grinning broadly at Bucky, who was just staring in slack-jawed silence at the Wakandans. The judges had evidently forgotten how to use their gavels and were just gaping at T'Challa, and Sam desperately wanted to cheer.

Well, then Okoye actually winked at him, and he kind of wanted to swoon. She had that effect.

The Dora Milaje kept a close eye on the shouting reporters and witnesses, but nothing more than a microphone or camera was thrust in the king's direction…and Sam had no doubt T'Challa was enjoying himself. Yep, definitely a flair for the dramatic to rival Stark and Thor. Imagine that.

Finally, the judges remembered the word "order" and started yelling for it. The chaos slowly came back under control. Matt and Foggy were still a bit slack-jawed themselves as T'Challa slipped into the row next to the Avengers.

"Your honors, we've just had…" Foggy looked down at the folders in his hands, "a pretty massive amount of new evidence handed to us. The defense requests a recess for the day."

Prosecutor Fallaci was so befuddled he didn't even bother to object. "The Court is in recess," announced Judge Ginsburg, but to Sam's amusement, none of the judges were in a hurry to leave the bench – they were all still watching the king of Wakanda warmly greeting the formerly-fugitive Avengers.

Bucky came down from the stand, and T'Challa shook his hand amid the strobe flash of the cameras. "Don't be concerned," the king told Bucky. "Wakanda's policy is changing in many ways. I will proudly stand by my choice to give you amnesty in 2017."

Steve looked like it was taking all his self-restraint not to bust out with a million questions, not that Sam blamed him. What the hell had prompted a policy change this dramatic, and who the hell had tried to pull of a coup d'etat in Wakanda?! Instead, Steve just beckoned Foggy and Matt over and introduced them to the king.

"Your highness, it's an honor and a welcome surprise," Matt said, shaking T'Challa's hand.

"Let's move this conversation into the conference room," Nat suggested, since it was obvious the reporters weren't going to stop filming without being tackled.

They got chased all the way to the secure floor, but even the Dora Milaje let the Court security deal with barring the reporters. "Word of warning: the private conference rooms aren't that private," said Stark. "There's at least five cameras and more microphones in every room we've been given."

T'Challa smirked. "They won't work, have no fear." Once the doors closed, he informed them, "We can speak freely for now."

From the way they all launched into questions, the Avengers might as well have been reporters themselves. Not that Sam couldn't help himself either. "What the hell happened in Wakanda?!"

"Is your family okay?"

"How bad was it?"

"Your highness, is announcing you've been harboring international fugitives really a good idea?"

"Was it because of us?"

"Please, please," T'Challa held up his hands, though the doctors and even Okoye and Ayo looked pleased by everyone's concern. "To ease your worries, no, it was not because of your presence; the amnesty I gave you was at most a peripheral issue. You must understand, I don't wish to air certain details even to trusted friends."

"Yeah, fair enough," said Sam, giving the others a meaningful look. A king's not going to want to share gory details of an internal conflict with a bunch of foreigners.

"Even so, as much as a lot of communities around the world are gonna benefit from what you're offering, you're bringing an awful lot of scrutiny down on yourself," said Rhodey.

"I'm aware of that and prepared for it. In 2017, I chose to make amends to the Avengers and to Bucky Barnes, and it's a choice I don't regret. Let anyone who wishes question the decision; I will stand by it."

"As will we," said Dr. Damaris. "You run the risk of crippling your own case if you do not present evidence from your treating physicians. There is no question in any of our minds that you were incapable of understanding, let alone resisting Hydra's commands while you were their captive. Indeed, the tapes Miss Romanoff has already introduced demonstrate that this was their precise goal, to remove your agency entirely."

Bucky didn't look reassured. Sam fought the urge to sigh. But to his surprise, Bucky looked at Stark. "You said...there were missions I failed, where they sent me after...and I wouldn't do it. What does that mean?"

"The Court's seen those; they were in the batch I produced," said Nat. "It means when you did have any individuality or agency, you fought back, and in response, they ground you down that much harder until they were sure they'd erased everything of you. That's evidence in your favor, not against it."

Stark paced away, arms tightly folded, avoiding anyone's eyes, but he wasn't arguing either. "Problem, Stark?" asked Clint.

If Sam had been closer to Clint, he'd have thrown an elbow, but Tony just shot him a scornful look and said, "No. I'm gonna go look in on Wanda," and left.

Steve glared at Clint and started to go after Stark, but this time, Sam was close enough. "Hey, no." He caught Steve's elbow, and Steve looked ready to pull himself free, but Sam insisted, "Let him have some space."

Steve scowled, but Bucky broke in, "It's fine, Steve. Leave him alone."

"It's not fine - "

" - that's not up to you!" Bucky snapped.

Dr. Kelile stepped between them. "Gentlemen. We do not have much time; Dr. Damaris and I have patients in Wakanda who need our care. We should begin working."

"Motion granted," said Foggy, eagerly coming to her side with the folder she'd given him. "Have a seat - Bucky, you too. The rest of you, unless you want to give me more details about Bucy's treatment, scram - oh, sorry, your highness, I guess you can stay."

T'Challa grinned. "I have less of the technical details of treatment, but I can explain my reasoning for the Avengers' presence in Wakanda all this time."

Matt stepped forward, folding up a laptop. "Then let's go next door. Cap, Natasha - actually, all of you who went on the lam, with me."

Tony got a message while he sat with was from Pepper. R u ok?

I'm always ok

Whatever xxx

It made him smile. "Tony?" Vision's voice jolted him back to his surroundings, and several nurses and a doctor came into the room. Vision was leaning over Wanda as if listening to something. "I think she's coming 'round."

Tony put his phone away and looked eagerly at Wanda, but although she still seemed to be asleep, all the readings on her monitors were rising. "You there, kiddo?"' he asked softly.

To his astonishment, he felt...something, like the brush of a feather in his mind. He almost took her hand, but decided against it. The two of them might've hugged a couple of times, but she'd be disoriented and groggy now, and he rather doubted his face was the first she'd want to see.

A few doctors and staff were peering through the door, but Tony ignored them and prayed Wanda wouldn't freak out.

She didn't. The way she gently opened her eyes and focused immediately on Vision with a sleepy smile, Tony was half-tempted to call her Sleeping Beauty. "Vision?"

"Welcome back, Wanda," Vision said softly.

To Tony's genuine surprise, she focused her eyes on him and smiled too. "Hi, Tony," she murmured.

Holy shit, Wanda Maximoff's actually glad to see me.

That purple-haired Brit, Betsy Braddock, had been nice enough to stick around after Barton called her to solve Wanda's subconscious telekinetic separation anxiety. She popped into the room as Wanda squinted in confusion from Vision to Tony, then to Braddock.

"I...know you?"

"My name is Betsy, Wanda. Clint Barton brought me to see you while you were unconscious. I know everything's a little muddled right now. Just let your head clear."

Wanda relaxed a little, maybe with Braddock's help. Tony edged toward the door, but incredibly, felt a telekinetic tug on his sleeve. He'd have thought he imagined it if it weren't for the flicker of red and the mental whisper of, Wait...

With that mental whisper came sensations. As much as Tony got nervous about thoughts in his head that weren't his own, he couldn't avoid these or deny them. She was groggy. She was scared. She didn't know who to trust...just Tony and Vision, the only familiar faces. She wanted him to stay.

"I'm right here, kid," he said.

At his and Vision's urging, Wanda relaxed and let Braddock do whatever telepathic voodoo she was doing. Braddock and Vision did most of the explaining about what'd happened and how Wanda had wound up in a coma in the first place.

Then Wanda met Tony's eyes, he felt a flicker of red behind them, and she gasped. "Bucky!"

"Jesus!" Tony lurched back instinctively, feeling bad even as panic took over his higher brain functions; he didn't want to hurt her feelings, but didn't, didn't want anybody picking in his head.

"Wanda, no! Wanda, relax, relax," Braddock was saying as Tony slid to the floor and Vision got in front of him. "Anything you want to know, we can tell you. Don't use your power now; I know it's instinct but you're too confused to control it."

"I...what..."

She didn't understand...trying to see, trying to know...where was...what had...why...Tony wheezed and scrubbed his face as the red fingers inside his head faded. He blinked up at Braddock, whose hand was outstretched towards him. Wanda was making whimpering noises in the bed as Vision ordered the medics out.

"No one without mental shielding should come into this room for the time being. Miss Maximoff is confused and could inadvertently harm someone."

"S-sorry..."

"'s okay," Tony croaked, trying to get to his feet. She was scared. He'd felt it; he couldn't not feel it. She'd seen Bucky in his mind and wanted to find him; she hadn't meant to hurt him. Shit, he hadn't felt this fucked in the head since a few bad trips before 2008.

"Tony, you should go outside as well," Vision began, but Wanda protested.

"No, please, I'm sorry - sorry - " Braddock shushed Wanda as she cried, struggling against all the lines and tubes and machines and where was everyone and why was...

"Tony?" Vision tugged at his arm, trying to get him upright and pull him to the door.

"No," Tony said, pulling himself up the wall. "No, 's okay. I'll stay. Take it easy." What's done is done, kid, I know you didn't mean it. Just take it easy. I'll stay with you.

She curled up with her hands over her head as if trying to hold her powers in. Tony started imagining some very creative activities for that Sentinel detail who'd drugged her, only for Braddock to glare at him. "Control yourself, Mr. Stark. Her mental hearing is very powerful at the best of times."

Damn. Okay...soothing thoughts, right...think about Pepper - only, oh, shit, not too much! Wanda's giggle was a little gratifying, and Braddock snorted. Tony finally settled on vacation with Pepper in Capri the year before Ultron. Not the nights - no, no, not the nights, but the days, the squeaking noises she'd made when they had to lie down in the boat to get into the Blue Grotto, but the delight in her face as their boatman serenaded them in the shimmering space. Tony and Happy mock-whining as she dragged them shopping and that coral and pearl and ruby necklace she'd almost put back when she saw the price. Tony'd had Happy "restrain her" while he bought it - the paparazzi had loved that - but the delighted shop owner had brought a mirror out into the sunlight and insisted she put it on.

"Much better." Tony blinked. Wanda had a dreamy smile on her face, but she'd relaxed on her bed, and Braddock was studying readings on her laptop with a satisfied expression. "We'll loosen that as you become more alert."

"'s okay...feels safer," Wanda murmured and rolled towards Vision, falling asleep on her side.

"What'd you do?" Tony asked.

"With her consent, I've suppressed her mental powers for the time being. It actually can be done without shock collars and drugs. As disoriented as she is now, she can't control or contain her powers - she didn't mean to use telepathy on you."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, I got - sensed that, I guess. It's like she didn't know the difference between reading me and looking at me."

"When she's feeling more herself, the suppression will release on its own, or I'll release it. I know she seems very confused, but her entire system had been on the verge of shutting down from the poisoning. Her enhancement is also the reason she survived at all. She's recovering."

Once Braddock had left, it was just Vision at Wanda's side and Tony against the wall feeling superfluous. He belatedly remembered his phone and sent a message to Rhodey. Wanda came around for a few minutes. She's pretty out of it, and Braddock had to help her control her powers. She's asleep again.

Rhodey answered, Yeah, the hospital sent a message to the judges she was awake but still too weak to be whole gang wants to see her; the medics and the lawyers got them all to slow down.

Yeah, Barnes was probably climbing the walls. Tony started to text Rhodey that she was too weak for more visitors, then caught himself. Am I just gonna say that because it's Barnes? He considered Wanda, looking so small wrapped in blankets and surrounded by machinery. She'd want to see him. She's asleep again, but she'll want to see him. She asked after him.

I'll let him know.

It had thrown Rhodey to realize how attached Barnes was to Wanda, but the more he learned about her involvement in his treatment, the more it made sense. Of all the things that worried the rest of the team when it came to Barnes, his relationship with Wanda didn't seem to be one of them. Even Tony wasn't concerned.

So Rhodey wasn't surprised Barnes almost bolted out the door when word reached the team that she'd awakened, but he backed down at Steve and the medics' urging.

Eventually, Tony returned after the hospital's visiting hours had ended and joined the main group talking with T'Challa. "The doctors think she's gonna sleep the rest of the night. Vision's standing watch, and Braddock's sticking around too. Her power went a little crazy - I could feel her sniffing in my brain at first."

"Thank you very much for that mental image," muttered Sam, but Steve looked alarmed.

"Are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, yeah, it was no big deal." Rhodey had no doubt Tony was lying about that, but he bit his tongue. "It was like...well, it was kind of like a puppy or a toddler who's really curious and gets up in your face," said Tony with a shrug. "Braddock got her to stop, but I guess there's a risk she'll do that to anyone who doesn't have mental powers until her own head's clear. She can't control the telepathy."

"So...what about the telekinesis? No 'Carrie' episodes?" asked Clint.

Tony smirked. "No, but I'm kind of hoping she has one if that prosecutor gives her a hard time when she's back on the stand."

"She won't," Natasha cut in, narrowing her eyes. "She came here to prove something to herself. Don't forget that, not when there's a big group who want to disprove it and lock her in a bunker permanently - if she's lucky."

Everyone who'd smirked at Tony's remark now cringed. "Yeah, good point," Clint sighed. "And if she's having trouble keeping the telepathy senses under control, we'd all better watch what we're thinking for awhile."

"Yeah, Braddock already chewed me out for thinking too vengeful where she can 'hear,'" Tony confirmed, tapping his head.

With Tony back, Foggy Nelson took the opportunity to prep him for being inevitably called to testify about when and how long he knew T'Challa was sheltering the fugitives. "Under the Accords, as an Avenger, you were a mandatory reporter," Foggy pointed out.

Tony hesitated, then sighed. "Yeah, I broke the things six ways from Sunday even before that. What's the worst that happens?"

"Supermax and a few dozen SWAT teams trying to take possession of your armor?" Sam said. "Which won't end well for the SWAT teams, but still!"

"But," Clint held up a hand, giving Sam a look that Rhodey couldn't translate, "the very day he traced us to Wakanda, he also found out the Raft guards had been abusing Wanda. Pretty damn mitigating circumstance for not revealing where she was."

"How'd he find out?" Foggy asked.

"I told him," said Clint. "Loudly, without her consent, but you get the idea."

T'Challa nodded. "I was there. That did...alter Mr. Stark's viewpoint considerably."

"Excellent - oh, I mean, oh dear, that makes it complicated," said Foggy, and they all grinned again. "Honestly, after the Mumbai attack, I think most of the world with two brain cells to rub together worked out Iron Man and the other official Avengers probably knew where Cap and his crew were hiding. Of all the charges they might throw at you, breaching an international treaty that's already on life support is one of the least concerning."

Someone knocked on the door. "Court message, sir!"

"Come in!"

Foggy met the intern and took an envelope as Tony muttered, "They're still using paper documents?"

Rhodey snorted. "So is the U.S. military. Some parts of government are sloooowww to progress with technology."

"Maybe yours are," said one of T'Challa's bodyguards. That earned her a scolding in Wakandan from the king - but a round of snickers from everyone else.

Foggy was staring down at the cover sheet. "Uh-oh," said Tony. "What's the word? Are we all arrested?"

"No..." Foggy looked up, half-confused, half-outraged. "Prosecutor Fallaci has filed a motion that James Buchanan Barnes be prohibited from any physical proximity to Wanda Maximoff."

They were all still processing it when Barnes burst into the room, looking frantic, with Matt Murdock and the two Wakandan medics at his heels. "What the hell is this? Why don't they want me to see her?!"

Foggy scanned the document and swore under his breath. "Because you and she are both suspects with active cases, they don't want her being able to use her mental power to communicate with you secretly."

Sam Wilson looked more pissed off than Rhodey could ever recall seeing him, approaching Foggy with bared teeth, eyes blazing. "The girl has been in a coma for nearly…three…weeks…poisoned by our…damn…security, and the American fucking prosecutor thinks he has any business saying her closest friend can't visit her while she's recovering?!"

"We're going to make that point," Murdock said patiently. "We'll get to work on an opposition right away – it'll be filed before she's ready for visitors anyway, based on what Mr. Stark and the hospital staff have said."

Barnes said nothing else, just started pacing along the walls and avoiding everyone's eyes. Steve took a few halting steps toward him, then thought better of it. "The International Criminal Court may not isolate suspects or even defendants," Dr. Damaris said angrily. "This motion cannot be granted!"

Foggy sighed. Uh-oh, thought Rhodey. "But here's our problem: they're not asking for Wanda or Bucky to be put into solitary. Damian Fallaci may be a jingoist xenophobic bigot, but he's a savvy attorney; he anticipated that he'd never be able to cut either of them off without evidence of collusion to breach the Court's rules. So he's emphasizing here that they can communicate in all 'conventional' ways: phone, Skype, instant message, et cetera. Just not in a way that's impossible for the Court to track."

Now Murdock sighed. "As galling as it is…Bucky, he has a point."

Bucky had his flesh hand pressed against the wall, practically with his whole body against it. He didn't turn around, and spoke so quietly Rhodey almost couldn't make out what he said. "I…I've been…I can cope. It's Wanda I'm worried about. She needs…" He didn't finish.

"She's very tactile," Natasha finished. "She was that way with her brother long before they were enhanced, probably due to their trauma. "Dr. Damaris nodded. "She's transferred that to Bucky, and occasionally Clint. Maybe Steve. Being physically separated and not able to be in mental contact with him will be very hard on her, the longer it lasts."

Murdock turned toward Dr. Damaris. "Do you think it could be enough for us to argue undue mental hardship?"

"I think we should try, yes, Mr. Murdock. I was also Miss Maximoff's treating psychologist."

Team Avengers, as the media christened them, worked fast, and Nelson and Murdock's opposition to Prosecutor Fallaci's motion was in the Court's file within two days. To the team's frustrated disgust, the Court made a "temporary" order for Bucky not to visit Wanda until they'd made a final decision.

It was another day before Wanda's mind was clear enough for Betsy Braddock to clear any non-mentally-enhanced visitors.

To the surprise of all, the first person she wanted to see was Tony. Clint went with him. The minute they got into the hospital room, Wanda was sitting up in bed and blurted, "Tony, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean - "

"Hey, hey, whoa, Wanda, easy!" Tony exclaimed, throwing out a hand. "You're gonna work yourself up when you're supposed to be relaxing; I know you didn't mean it. You didn't hurt me, kid. Surprised me a little, yeah, but not like – well, you know. The thing in Sokovia. Nothing at all like that. It's all right."

Wanda sighed, keeping eye contact with him, and Clint didn't think she'd talk telepathically with Tony if he wasn't okay with that. Rather, judging by her hesitant smile, Tony was saying something mentally to her. Only when that had passed did Clint approach to hug her.

"So good to see you up. How're you feeling?"

"Awake," Wanda said dryly. "Not like…everything took too much energy before, even sitting and listening." She huffed. "You'd think I would have realized."

"Your guards adulterated your food supply outside the building where you were housed," Vision told her. "Probably for the express purpose of preventing you from sensing a threat, and also because they themselves had no idea how severely the drug would affect you."

"I didn't care what happened, the longer I was here," she mused. "When I first got here, I did care. I wanted to tell the truth and listen to what they said, and give justice to anyone who deserved it...but then I cared less and less."

"That's part of the problem," Foggy said, sitting in a chair next to her. "The Court can't accept testimony from a drugged witness. They're either going to have to start all over again - which'll be hell on everyone involved - or dismiss the case against you."

Wanda stiffened. "No, they shouldn't dismiss it! Not until the people I hurt get their day in court!"

Tony shot Clint an uncomfortable look, but Foggy went on patiently, "Wanda, you have rights too - every defendant has rights, and there's a saying: better to let a hundred guilty men go free than one innocent man be imprisoned. I get you want to fix your part in Sokovia and Ultron, but look at it this way: Bucky's about to start the exact same process. How would you feel if someone did to him what they did to you, and the Court just let it slide?"

Ooh, this guy's good! Clint thought. Wanda couldn't argue with that. "Why won't they let me see him?"

Foggy sighed. "You can talk to him, just not in person. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that's going to be the rule as long as either of you are up on charges."

"Pepper's got our legal team back home reading everything that gets filed - no offense," said Tony to Foggy.

"None taken. What do your guys think?"

"They think Fallaci's gonna win this one, and it'll become the rule for anyone suspected of telepathy, especially recognized telepaths. Physical isolation from anyone who can't establish a privilege, like a lawyer or doctor." Tony scowled. "And the Friends of Humanity bastards'll keep pushing it by claiming every mutant or enhanced might be a telepath now."

"Not to make you think we're not fighting it - Dr. Damaris signed an affidavit that forcing you to be physically separated from Bucky for months or more will damage your mental health- but yeah, I think we're probably going to lose this one." Foggy patted Wanda's hand. "On the bright side, Fallaci already conceded you can have contact with anybody you want via Skype, email, phone, or webcam, so you will be free to communicate with him."

Wanda sighed. "I suppose I can't blame them entirely. Only...does that mean everyone who isn't my lawyer or my doctor can't visit me? Why just Bucky?"

"Their reasoning is that right now, Bucky's the only person charged," said Tony. "I think Fallaci was going to push to keep all Avengers away, but Vision pointed out he can access the whole Internet and still respected laws about classified information. So this is the 'compromise.'"

"But what if they charge the others?" She stiffened, sensing the conclusion they'd been hoping she wouldn't make.

"They...might," Foggy said carefully. "Cap and Black Widow are the most likely targets. At worst, Sam Wilson, Clint, and maybe Tony too. But not the ones who signed the Accords and mostly abided by them."

Wanda was back on her feet - barely - enough to testify on the motion. Bucky and Steve watched in real time from the heavily-reinforced (meaning it might've taken either of them five minutes longer to break out of it than an ordinary building) but reasonably-comfortable "dangerous enhanced defendant housing" that'd been built near the court complex.

Bucky didn't mind the place; it was comfortable enough, and the Court was letting Steve stay with him. All that security outside would do more to keep hostiles out than keeping Bucky or Steve in, but nobody else needed to know that.

He did wish he'd managed to see Wanda in person once while she was awake. She'd lost weight and looked thin and weak, and the judges looked appalled by her condition. Even Fallaci and the prosecution's legal team looked a little dismayed. Bucky could only hope that was a good sign.

But that didn't stop Fallaci from getting straight to the point. "Miss Maximoff, are you and James Barnes in a romantic relationship?"

Wanda looked startled. Bucky groaned into his hands. "Should've seen that coming."

"No," Wanda answered warily.

"Are you and James Barnes related?"

"No."

"Is he your lawyer?"

"No."

"Objection, your honors, the nature of Miss Maximoff's relationship with Sergeant Barnes has been stipulated," said Foggy.

"Don't mock the witness, Mr. Fallaci," said one of the judges.

Fallaci went on, "Your psychologist says you have to have physical contact for the sake of your mental health. Can you explain that?"

"Objection, Miss Maximoff isn't a psychologist."

"I'm entitled to question her regarding the reason given for opposing my motion."

"Overruled."

Wanda bit her lip, and Fallaci added in a gentle voice that Bucky was sure was feigned, "In your own words is fine."

"I...since...my enhancement...it's...hard to be alone," Wanda murmured, turning deep red. "When my brother was alive, it was easier. He stayed near me. After he died...it's harder."

"But James Barnes isn't your brother."

"No, but he understands."

"How is that?"

"I told him," Wanda said, not meeting anyone's eyes. "It seemed only fair. I know so much of what's inside him. I told him."

"I don't understand," said one of the judges. "Miss Maximoff, what do you mean by 'what's inside' Sergeant Barnes?"

"It's...how my telepathy works," Wanda explained. "To help untie the trigger words, I had to see his memories, his thoughts, for weeks. Anything on his mind when we were working, I could see. I couldn't help it; I try not to invade people's privacy."

"Is physical contact necessary to use telepathy?" another judge asked.

"No, sir, although it does make it easier." Wanda frowned to herself. "I don't think I could do...treatment like that without physical contact."

"Did you ever tell anyone else about your need for physical contact?" the chief judge asked.

"Vision and Agent Barton. And, ah, the psychologists who treated me."

The chief judge raised her hand. "You don't need to speak anything about your medical or psychological treatment, Miss Maximoff. That is confidential."

That was something, Bucky supposed. But even though the judges seemed sympathetic, in the end, they granted the prosecutor's motion.

"Damn it," Steve growled. "So she can't see you until this is over."

Bucky leaned back and closed his eyes. "It's not just her."

"...what?"

She told me things to make up for being in my head, like she owed me something. She doesn't tell anyone what she's seen in my head. "She knows..." Why the hell can't I tell Steve?

He opened his eyes and winced at the way Steve was staring at him. Did he think there was a one-sided thing from Bucky's end? Nah, Steve knew better. She was too young. So Steve knew he wasn't gearing up towards a romantic confession. "Apart... from you and her...I can barely remember what it's like. Being touched by someone who isn't a medic or Hydra or trying to kill me."

"You mean it...if we touch you, it doesn't...bother you?"

Bucky smiled weakly and shook his head. Wanda had admitted to it. He might as well. "Opposite," he whispered.

Steve blinked, then slowly put a hand on Bucky's shoulder. Bucky shifted, wanting to pull closer, but still…not quite sure how. So Steve did, raising his hand to Bucky's neck, cupping his face like Wanda sometimes did. Bucky shut his eyes and trembled, but not from distress. Steve cautiously pulled Bucky into his arms, and Bucky leaned fully against him.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Since they reunited in Germany, Steve had been so hesitant about touching Bucky, let alone hugging him, probably assuming it would stress Bucky out. Except it was the opposite. That embrace Steve had given him on the hospital lawn when Bucky'd nearly come apart at the seams from sheer terror at going into treatment of his conditioning had been half the reason he'd had the strength to say yes. Bucky rubbed his cheek against Steve's shoulder and murmured, "Didn't know how."

Steve tightened his grip and rubbed Bucky's back. They sat that way for a long time. Steve opened his mouth, then shut it again, but Bucky mused, "We've done this before." He searched the tattered remains of his memories. "I...when you were smaller."

"Yeah."

Bucky went on, his voice somehow staying level despite how hard he was clinging to Steve. "'Till...the end of the line...the day I told you that...at first you wouldn't let me. Finally you did. Only I held you."

He felt Steve nod. Even after Steve had accepted the key to their family's place, Bucky'd refused to leave him alone. Eventually, late that evening, Steve had broken. Bucky'd held him as he tried in vain to stifle his sobs. "It's okay, pal. I know. I'm here."

By the time the war started, they'd had a place of their own. Steve had been so proud to be able to pay some of the rent, and Bucky…he thought he remembered being happy there, enjoying the quiet. Bucky didn't remember the start of the war, just a sense of dread that had grown as the enlistment posters and newsreels had played and more and more guys signed up.

Even when Bucky'd been teaching Steve to box, he'd known Steve sensed his anxiety. The first time Steve had tried to say anything, Bucky'd snapped at him, "You think I'm a coward?!"

"You know I don't think that! I know you'd never dodge service!" Steve had protested. They hadn't talked about it again for almost a year.

Bucky'd joked and bragged his way through the enlistment process and training, probably fooling everyone who wasn't Steve or his sister Becca. He'd started spending more of his pocket money on cigarettes, smoking and staring into the distance for a future that terrified him – or maybe no future at all. He remembered that.

As more units started forming up and shipping out, he'd stopped going on dates and spending his money on the really good smokes. Steve found him on the fire escape one night with a pile of cigarette butts and sat silently next to him. Bucky'd stubbed his smoke out before Steve could tell him not to bother; he never smoked near Steve to avoid setting off an asthma attack – thought Steve always insisted it wasn't necessary.

Maybe that was what finally got the confession out of him, a muttered admission: "I'm scared, Steve."

"I know. Hey, I don't blame you - or anybody else. War's scary. This war is scarier."

"Why're you so desperate to fight in it, then?"

"Because someone has to. It's not that I'm not scared," he'd insisted.

"Yeah, right. You were born without any self-preservation." Bucky'd pulled his knees up to his chest, not looking at him. Steve had really had to reach to get an arm around Bucky's shoulders back then, but he'd managed it. Bucky'd been tense at first, but eventually relaxed against Steve - well, half against Steve, half-braced against the stair railing.

Steve had insisted, "I'm gonna be with you when you go over there."

Bucky'd sat up and looked at him in exasperation, wondering if Steve had any idea how very un-reassuring it was to hear that. "You're not gonna give up until you get arrested for fraud on your enlistment form, are you?"

"No, I'm not giving up until they let me join!"

Maybe there was a reason he remembered that conversation so clearly. Bucky tightened his grip so Steve wouldn't let him go, and murmured another confession: "I'm scared, Steve."

Steve hesitated a moment, then asked carefully, "Of...the trial?"

Bucky nodded, still not lifting his head from Steve's shoulder. "I didn't think I would be. But I am."

Whatever Steve wanted to say, he didn't insult Bucky's intelligence by insisting it would be okay and they'd win the wasn't completely out of their hands, but in the end, it wouldn't be up to any of them."I'll be here," Steve finally said. "No matter what happens. Till the end of the line."

MAXIMOFF CASE RESUMES BEFORE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT!

Doctors cleared former Avenger Wanda Maximoff to continue appearing before the ICC last week as the Court considers whether to charge her with crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Her attorney, Fred Nelson, has filed a motion demanding all her prior testimony be thrown out in light of overwhelming evidence Maximoff was being drugged by the American contingent of Court security. The agents responsible, all members of the American Enhanced Sentinel Program, claimed the substance used was "medication" to prevent Maximoff from using her dramatic mental and telekinetic powers aggressively against anyone at the Court. Doctors say she was almost poisoned by the drug. Maximoff was in a coma for nearly three weeks.

Wakandan King T'Challa has admitted he was sheltering Maximoff and the other fugitive Avengers, as well as James Buchanan Barnes aka the Winter Soldier, since shortly after the popularly-termed "Civil War" between factions of the Avengers in Leipzig, Germany.

The Ronald Bunt administration and several U.N. delegates have called for sanctions King T'Challa's government, but the response has been lukewarm. Since rescuing his stepmother, Queen Ramonda, from thirty years of captivity in the hands of white supremacist Anton Pretorius, T'Challa has led multiple anti-human-trafficking operations and freed over 500 victims.

Experts say even if the U.S. or the U.N. succeed in passing sanctions against Wakanda, the impact on the secretive nation's economy will be minimal.

To Be Continued...

Coming Soon: Wanda's case is set to resume, but Team Avengers wants the case dismissed due to her poisoning. Wanda doesn't. Nothing frustrates lawyers more than clients who won't follow their advice.

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Original Character Guide

Dr. Kelile: Senior physician of Wakandan medical research and hospitals, head of the medical research team treating Bucky. Age 50ish, five-foot-one.

Dr. Damaris: Wakandan psychologist/psychiatrist who kept an eye on the Avengers at T'Challa's instruction and headed the psychiatric aspects of Bucky's treatment. Mid-40s, has studied both at home and abroad.

Damian Fallaci - a prosecutor with the International Criminal Court, American, mid-40s, still dedicated to the principles of the Sokovia Accords.

Judge Irina Ginsburg - chief judge of the International Criminal Court's pretrial panel, handling the Avengers' cases. Danish, mid-60s, no relation to another famous and utterly awesome judge by the name of Ginsburg - but possibly named after her. Possibly.